Loveland News

Big Thompson Canyon Association's pancake breakfast draws large crowd

Fundraiser for the Big Thompson Canyon Volunteer Fire Department got a deluge of support

By James Garcia

Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:
05/19/2014 11:46:39 AM MDT

Tim Brady, volunteer firefighter with the Big Thompson Canyon Volunteer Fire Department, inspects the rocks Sunday that will soon be the base for the Patty Goodwine memorial during the Big Thompson Canyon Association Pancake Breakfast, about one mile east of Drake. (James Garcia / Reporter-Herald)

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day — especially if its benefiting the Big Thompson Canyon Volunteer Fire Department.

Sunday was the 46th annual pancake breakfast hosted by the Big Thompson Canyon Association in support of the Big Thompson Canyon Volunteer Fire Department. The event took place, as it always has, in the historic log building belonging to the association, built in 1947, just east of Drake on U.S. 34.

"It was nice to see everybody after what we went through with the flood, eating together at that table," said volunteer fire fighter Tim Brady.

Since 1963, the fire department has served Drake, Waltonia, Cedar Park, Cedar Springs and the Storm Mountain as part of the Loveland Rural Fire Protection District and worked in coordination with Loveland Fire Rescue and Thompson Valley EMS.

There was an estimated 600-700 people who attended the pancake event. There was also an arts and crafts show at the fire department building in conjunction with the breakfast, as well as a bake sale and raffle.

"It was a very successful pancake breakfast," said Cheryl Jiles, president of the association. "I think we made $5,000."

Total funds raised were not available right away, but last year's numbers were around $2,800.

"We were so full, people went outside to eat," Brady said.

"We ran out of eggs. And we had extra for an additional 100 people," Jiles added. Brady said folks hailing from all over the country, from Wyoming to New York, stopped by the event to get some pancakes.

The 2013 flood seemed to be an ever-present character at the event.

"I think because of the flood, it went better," Brady said as he looked reverently at the 1976 flood memorial and the rocks that have been gathered that will become the base for a memorial for Patty Goodwine, who lost her life in the September flood.

"The association has to do charitable work, so we do a fundraiser every year and we chose the fire department, so we can keep the money in the canyon," Jiles said, noting how nice it was to see "mountain people" come out on such a nice day to raise money for a good cause.

Much like during the 1976 floods, the fire department worked throughout the flood to keep the canyon residents safe.